


Getting Better

by ChampionFlyer



Series: Starting Fresh [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Beware, Continuation to Starting Fresh, F/M, Keith is Allura's child, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) Has Anxiety, Lance (Voltron) Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Lance (Voltron)-centric, Lance is Shiro's adoptive son, Lotor is a therapist, Lung Cancer, M/M, Sad Shiro (Voltron), Shiro is a good dad, This is why we love space dad, You Have Been Warned, scared lance, too much angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-06-22 13:50:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15583365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChampionFlyer/pseuds/ChampionFlyer
Summary: It's been three months since Shiro has become Lance's father, three months of uncovering unknown facts behind the closed of the McClain house hold. For those three long months, Lance has tried to get better, to recover.Are all good things supposed to go up in flames?





	1. His Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> Welp... this is a try not to cry challenge all in itself. 
> 
> Good luck!

 

The days that Lance had spent at the hospital felt like eternity. 

 

But he knew that after all the painful waiting, he’d finally get to go home with Shiro. 

 

Shiro was his dad now.

(Time skip) 

 

Lance groggily opened his eyes to see the sun shining through the white blinds of the hospital window. 

 

Though Lance had only spent 5 days in the hospital, it was starting to feel like a routine to be woken up to the light bursting through the blinds. 

 

He looked over to the body that had fallen asleep in the recliner next to the bed. 

 

Shiro. 

 

Lance pushed himself upward into a sitting position and rubbed the tiredness from his eyes. 

 

Lance glanced over at the sleeping man and smiled. 

 

He thought it was funny that Shiro had bed head despite not sleeping in a bed that night. 

 

He giggled a little at the thought. 

 

Shiro stirred a little in his sleep before his eyes opened to the world. 

 

As soon as he was aware enough, he began his routine from the past 5 days. 

 

“Hey bud. How did ya sleep,” Shiro asked petting down Lance’s disheveled hair. 

 

“I slept good,” Lance simply stated before reaching up with his hand to smoothen out Shiro’s white tufted. 

 

“That’s good,” Shiro giggled out as Lance brought his hand back down to his lap. 

 

The moment of silence was interrupted when the door clicked open and Lotor walked in with his clipboard. 

 

“Hi Lotor,” Lance said in a happy tone, watching the tall man walk over beside Shiro. 

 

“Hello there Lance. Did you sleep better?” Lotor asked because he knew Lance would have trouble falling asleep. 

 

But he didn’t have to fall asleep alone. 

 

Shiro had been there to hush him to sleep when he couldn’t do it himself. 

 

“I slept all night,” Lance said, Shiro looking over and gave him a sad smile.

 

He was glad that Lance was sleeping almost all night, but he felt sad that it took him so long to do so. 

 

“That’s so good Lance! Your getting so much better,” Lotor exclaimed, practically praising Lance for what most people see as not even an accomplishment. 

 

For Lance, a good night’s rest was what he struggled to get most of the time.

 

But ever since Shiro had been by his side, everything felt easier for him. 

 

“Lance if you feel okay enough, Shiro can take you home with him today,” Lance’s head whipped up from when he had been staring at his hands. 

 

“Really?” Lance asked, almost not believing what he was hearing. 

 

He could go home with Shiro. 

 

Home. 

 

Not his home where his father had hurt him. 

 

No, that was not home. That was a house that held the broken boy he once was. 

 

Shiro was his home. 

 

Lance launched himself at Shiro, attacking him with a hug and cried into his shoulder. 

 

“Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!” Lance cried as Shiro held him tightly and tried to shush him a little. 

 

“Shh Lance. It’s okay bud,” Lance calmed a little, but remained clinging to Shiro. 

 

Shiro knew it would take a while, but soon Lance would live a happy life.

 

Soon he’d take his son home.

(Time skip 3 months)

 

_ “You brat!” Marcas spat as Lance tried to crawl away, but it was no use.  _

 

_ His arms wouldn’t move and his legs felt like jelly.  _

 

_ “M’sorry,” Lance spoke out as his father lifted him up in the air by the collar of his shirt.  _

 

_ “Sorry doesn’t cut it! I’ll come back for you and your new daddy! You both will pay!” Marcas flug Lance on the ground like a rag doll.  _

 

_ Lance looked back to where his father was standing.  _

 

_ He was gone.  _

 

_ A scream of help came from behind him. Lance spun around and felt a rush of heat come across his face. _

 

_ Fire. There was so much fire.  _

 

_ A house was on fire, no it was their house.  _

 

_ “SHIRO!” Lance shrieked, but it was no use.   _

 

_ He failed Shiro.  _

 

_ Shiro was gone.  _

 

“No!” Lance screamed, his body lurching up.

 

He looked around realizing he was no longer in his dream. 

 

He could see his room and the door. 

 

He could hear the crickets chirping from outside his window of their one story home.

 

He could feel the his cold sweated hair and his wet sheets. 

 

Wait, wet sheets. 

 

Lance looked down at his soaked comforter and tore it off to reveal his urine stained pajamas and sheets. 

 

Lance could feel tears in his eyes. 

 

_ ‘This should have stopped!’  _ Lance thought, as he started to breath heavily. 

 

He couldn’t hold his tears much longer. 

 

Lance let out a sob with his fists balled up. 

 

Would Shiro kick him out? 

(time skip) 

 

Shiro woke up to the sound of sobbing. 

 

Shiro was really confused at first, but it didn’t take him long to realize what was going on. 

 

‘ _ Lance _ ,’ Shiro bolted up in his bed and ran to Lance’s room down the hall. 

 

Shiro opened the door and saw Lance look up at him with his eyes overflowing with tears. 

 

“M’sorry,” Lance whispered as he let out another sob as Shiro rushed to his side and took him in his arms. 

 

“Shhh buddy. Can you tell me what-” Shiro was cut off by the unpleasant smell of urine. 

 

He looked over Lance, immediately taking notice that his pants were drenched, as were his sheets. 

 

_ ‘Poor Lance,’  _ Shiro frowned, realizing Lance was probably scared and embarrassed. 

 

“Lance, buddy. Here’s what we’re gonna do. Okay?” Shiro paused to make sure Lance was listening.

 

Lance sniffled, which probably meant he was listening.

 

“Okay, I’m gonna get you cleaned up and then you can tell me what scared you so bad, okay?” Shiro said, using the softest voice he could muster. 

 

Lance nodded. 

 

Shiro led Lance down the hallway and to the bathroom. 

 

Shiro knew that holding Lance’s hand would make him feel better, but deep down Shiro knew the guilt Lance was feeling. 

 

As soon as they got to the bathroom, Shiro started a bath and put some of the bubble bath soap in because he knew it always made Lance happy. Then he left the room to get Lance some dry pjs. 

 

By the time he got back, Lance was already in the tub. Shiro was hoping for Lance’s expression to of changed to at least a small smile, but his expression had only changed from scared to disappointment. Shiro could always the difference. 

 

Lance is typically scared when he gets caught up in his own head. He tends to think about the worst and what could go wrong in those moments. 

 

Though his disappointment is harder to understand. He gets disappointed in himself. He feels as if he causes so much trouble in life, but it's really just life that causes him trouble. He can’t control what has gone so wrong in his life. 

 

Shiro knelt down beside the tub and rubbed Lance’s back.

 

“Hey, buddy. I’m not mad at you. I’m just worried, okay?” Shiro said in a gentle voice, tossing a small smile in there to make Lance see that everything’s okay.  

 

When Lance looked up, the look in his eyes broke Shiro’s heart. 

 

The same look Shiro had seen the day Keith said I hate you. 

 

“I’m sorry Shiro,” Lance spoke, his voice cracking at the end. Tears began to cascade down his face as Shiro pulled him into a hug, ignoring the bubbles and water that now drenched his shirt. 

 

“Shh buddy. It’s okay, you couldn’t control it,” Shiro cooed as Lance cried into his shoulder. 

 

Shiro pressed a kiss on Lance’s head as he continued to sob. 

 

Once he stopped crying, Shiro helped him out of the tub and wrapped him in a warm towel that had been sitting by the heater. 

 

Lance dried off and slipped into his pjs before taking Shiro’s hand to get his attention. 

 

Shiro picked him up and took him back to his bedroom. 

 

Shiro set Lance down in the big chair in the corner and proceeded to try and get him to relax. 

 

It took a while but finally Lance relaxed into the chair and laid down.  

 

Shiro kissed him on the temple before springing up to go get some old blankets. 

 

He took two blankets out of his closet, pulled back the comforter on his bed and placed one over the sheets. 

 

He was just being safe Incase Lance had anymore accidents. 

 

After he was done taking precautions, he picked up the half asleep boy and laid down with Lance on his chest. 

 

“Okay bud. What’s going on?” Shiro waited for Lance to respond and when he did, Shiro knew he should have been more mentally prepared. 

 

“He killed you,” Lance said, bursting into tears. 

 

This shocked Shiro as much as it probably scared Lance. 

 

“Lance…” Shiro said trying to get his attention. 

 

Lance tried to push himself away from Shiro, but his grip was iron. 

 

“Lance, buddy. Hey, shhh. Your alright, calm down,” Lance was in hysterics. He couldn’t focus on anything. 

 

Shiro held he sobbing boy close to his chest, for fear if he’d let go, Lance would disappear. 

 

Shiro had one hand securing Lance and the other carding through his hair. 

 

Eventually, Lance gave up on trying to escape Shiro’s warm embrace. 

 

He let his face fall into Shiro’s chest as he sobbed and his hands clutch the fabric of the older man’s shirt. 

 

After about 30 minutes, Lance finally calmed down from uncontrollable sobbing to sniffles and whimpers. 

 

“M,sorry,” Lance muttered. 

 

“Lance, I know your scared of being given up on, but as long as you are my son I will never give up on you,” Lance hugged Shiro and let out a watery breath.

 

“I love you too much to ever leave you”. 

 

And that night, Lance’s demons never came back to haunt him. 

 

Shiro made sure of that.


	2. Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance wakes up with an awful cold. 
> 
> But as the day progresses, Shiro will realize his child has a little more than a cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SWEET BABY JESUS! GOOD LUCK WITH THIS ONE!

It's now been almost 7 months since Lance had gotten out of the hospital and he rarely had nightmares. Aside from his little scares, he's been doing alright.

Shiro and he would go to the daycare 3 times a week and on the other 2, they would visit Lotor at the therapist's' office.

Lance loved to visit Lotor. He was nice and fun and always gave him a sticker at the end of the session.

On the weekends, Keith and Allura would come over to Shiro's house and Keith would play with Lance and Allura and watch them play while discussing politics or current issues.

Everything was great.   
  
Until the pain started.

Lance woke up in the morning to a dull ache in his lungs. He felt like he had been hit by a truck. He didn't want to get up.

So he laid there, not moving.

But despite not moving, the pain grew sharp like a knife. Lance squeezed his eyes shut and whimpered.

Tears sprung in the corners of his eyes. Why did it hurt so much to breathe?

Lance took another breath, but it turned into a harsh, painful coughing fit.

(queue space dad)

Shiro had almost finished his one of many cups of coffee that morning when he heard harsh coughing from upstairs.

He felt confused and quite concerned. Was that Lance just coughing?

Shiro stood up with haste and quickly made his way upstairs to Lance’s room.

“Lance?” Shiro turned the doorknob and pushed into the room. He took two long strides over to where Lance was and knelt down beside him.

Shiro hoisted Lance up into a sitting position and rubbed his back while he continued to cough.

After he was done coughing, Lance looked up at Shiro with tear-glazed eyes.

“Shiro? My chest hurts really bad,” Lance whimpered as he rubbed his chest.

“Okay, buddy. Where does it hurt?” Shiro cooed, trying to make the distressed boy feel more comfortable.

“My chest and my head and my -hic- stomach,” Lance started to cough again and this time, with more force. He coughed so hard that by the end of the fit, he was breathing fast and tears stained his cheeks.

Shiro pulled Lance up from his bed and carried him bridal style all the way downstairs to his green couch in the living room.

“Shhh. It’s okay Lance, you're alright,” Shiro couldn’t help but let the worry in his voice be heard. He was in all honesty scared. Shiro had never heard anyone, especially a child, a cough that hard and for that long.

Shiro laid Lance down on the couch and covered his shaking body in a blanket.

He sat next to Lance and stroked his hair comfortingly, looking for more signs of distress.

“Do you feel like your going to gonna be sick?” Shiro asked softly, careful not to alarm Lance.

Lance didn’t really feel nauseous but he felt feverish.

“No. My head really hurts though,” Lance said quietly, hoping that it would bring attention to his burning forehead.

Shiro took his hand and placed it on Lance’s forehead, retracting it quickly when the fever was felt.

“Buddy you have quite the fever,” Shiro sighed sadly. He didn’t want Lance to be sick today. They were gonna go to the park and get ice cream and visit the dogs next door.

“I’m sorry. I know you wanted to go to the park as much as I did,” Shiro said, trying to think of something to say that would make him feel better.

“But we can still have fun here! We can watch movies and play games and-” Shiro stopped talking when he looked down at the boy laying on the couch. He felt guilt rise up inside of him seeing Lance in this state.

His whole frame was shaking.

His nose was red and runny.

His face was fever-flushed.

His eyes were unfocused and dull.

His coughs were loud and painful to even hear.

Maybe today wouldn’t be a day for fun.

“Shiro?” Lance asked, his voice hoarse from coughing.

“Can I sleep in your bed for a lil bit?”

Shiro always knew that when Lance wanted to sleep in bed something was up.

“Sure thing bud. Does your chest hurt still?” Lance nodded. At that Shiro had scooped him up and took him up to his bedroom.

Shiro set Lance down in his bed and pulled the covers over the small child. Lance seemed to visibly melt into the mattress and pulled the comforter closer to his body to stop the shivers.

He then walked over to his large oakwood dresser and pulled out some VIX rub, a thermometer, and some Tylenol.

Shiro made his way back over to Lance, who was clearly trying to go back to sleep but failing miserably.

“Lance, buddy I’m gonna help you sit up for just a second so you can take this medicine. Okay?” Lance grunted in response and he weakly tried to sit up. He managed to sit up but staying up was the challenge.

The moment he sat up, the room began to spin.

“Shiro, everything is spinning,” Lance cried out frantically. Shiro quickly brought Lance’s head into his chest so he could steady him.

Once the room had stopped ‘spinning’, Lance cried out again, “I can’t breathe anymore!”.

This scared Shiro.

This was just a little cold, right?

 _Why was he saying he couldn’t breathe- Oh wait._ Shiro’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of wheezing coming from Lance.

Shiro looked down, horrified that he had missed Lance coming down with something this bad.

Lance really couldn’t breathe.

“Okay buddy, I’m gonna have you take some Tylenol and then I’m gonna put some cream on your chest to make it feel better,” Shiro said as he reached for the medicine, with Lance still cradled against his chest.

He poured the pink liquid into the plastic measuring cup. Shiro then passed it to Lance, who took it graciously.

He downed the pink liquid in seconds, making a disgusted look as the aftertaste kicked in.

After a couple seconds, Shiro laid Lance back down and grabbed the VIX from the bedside table.

Shiro wasn’t sure how comfortable Lance was with being touched without warning, so he asked if he was okay with him rubbing the clear gel-like substance on his chest.

Lance was okay with it. He seemed to be getting so much more comfortable around Shiro since the day he had brought him home.

Lance took his shirt off and placed it beside him. Shiro put some of the cold gel on his hands and rubbed it on the center of Lance’s chest.

By the time he had finished, Lance had already almost fallen asleep.

“You can sleep soon buddy, but we have to take your temperature first,” Shiro said as he grabbed the thermometer and stuck it into Lance’s mouth before he could protest.

The wait felt like a year before he heard the beep of the timer on the thermometer.

He winced at the numbers. 103.4 degrees.   
Shiro looked back up at Lance, whose face was laced with pain and breathing was more like panting.

He reached over and carded his figures in Lance’s soft hair.

“Get some sleep buddy. You’ll feel so much better if you do,” Shiro said in a comforting whisper.

Lance didn’t need to be told twice. He was out like a light in about a minute.

Which left Shiro to wander into the deep parts of his mind as he watched his son restlessly sleep.

_‘Was this perhaps more than just a cold?’_

_‘Am I just overreacting?’_

_‘If this is more than a cold, should I take him back to the hospital?’_

_‘He just got better. Is he going to get worse?’_

Somehow Shiro kept his panic at bay and tried to read a book.

But his mind continued to wonder.

 _‘More than a cold?’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... I feel like I should be sorry. 
> 
> But I'm an angsty child so, yeah. 
> 
> Also, I'm gonna write some Lance/Griffin shit because the new season didn't give us much hope for Klance. 
> 
> (Don't worry, I'll still write Klance)


	3. It'll be okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance's getting worse every minute. 
> 
> Shiro knows he has no other choice...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boi enjoy dis

Lance slept soundly, but the wheezing and uneven pattern of his breathing unsettled Shiro greatly. 

 

Lance had fallen asleep for about six hours now, but Shiro simply couldn’t leave him. 

 

Shiro had finished a 538 page book, a magazine, and about three seasons of the Office before he heard Lance again. 

 

Shiro whirled his head to the side to look at Lance, who was whimpering in his sleep. 

 

Shiro’s expression saddened at the thought of Lance having a nightmare while he was sick. This poor kid couldn’t catch a break. 

 

Shiro brought his hand to Lance’s hair and stroked it softly, trying to bring comfort to his sick child. 

 

Lance’s eyes fluttered open, glancing up at Shiro with sad, dull blue eyes. 

 

“Hey kiddo, how ya feeling?” Shiro managed a sad smile, but he could feel the overwhelming urge to cry. He didn’t want Lance to be in pain. 

 

Lance opened his mouth to say something but instead his eyes went wide. 

 

He bolted up and coughed violently into his hands. 

 

Shiro, who was a bit taken back by this action, leaned forward to rub Lance’s back. 

 

“Shhh, it’s okay bud you’ll be okay,” Shiro cooed, rubbing Lance’s back and stomach soothingly. 

 

When Lance was finished he looked into his hands, his teary eyes widening. 

 

Shiro looked into his hands and physically felt the color drain from his face. 

 

In Lance’s hands was blood and mucus from his last coughing fit. 

 

“Shiro?” Lance whimpered out, looking back up at him clearly in pain and confusion. Tears spilled from his eyes and dripped off his face and mixed with the blood coming from his nose. 

 

Shiro couldn’t help but let a couple tears fall from his face. He knew what he had to do, but he really didn’t want to. 

 

“Lance, bud. Here’s what we are going to do,” Shiro said shakily, taking a tissue from the nightstand and wiping Lance’s nose and hand. 

 

“We’re gonna go to the hospital and get you checked out okay?” As soon as the word hospital left his mouth, Lance burst into tears. 

 

Shiro knew Lance hated the hospital. Lance hadn’t had good memories from the last time they were there. 

 

Shiro pulled Lance carefully into his lap and directed his head onto his chest as he stuck his nose into Lance’s soft brunette hair. He then let more tears roll down his cheeks. 

 

“I don’t wanna go back to the hospital,” Lance cried into Shiro’s chest, only breaking Shiro’s heart even more. 

 

“I know,” Shiro paused to take in a staggering breath. 

 

“I know. I don’t want to have to take you, but I want you to get better okay? I’ll stay with you the whole time,” Shiro said sadly. 

 

“But I thought I was getting better!” Lance sobbed out, gripping Shiro’s shirt in his small hands. 

 

And like that, Shiro was crying too. He wanted more than anything for Lance to get better, but why was he just now getting worse. 

 

“I know buddy I know,” Shiro said, standing up holding Lance like a koala bear. A sad, scared koala bear. 

 

Lance sobbed into Shiro’s neck as he was carried down the steps, but he let go after being laid down on the green couch. 

 

“Shiro?” Lance whimpered, making grabby hands, signaling to Shiro that he didn’t want to be alone. 

 

“Hang in there bud. I’m just gonna go get the thermometer quick okay?” Shiro said, petting down Lance’s disheveled hair and wiping away his tears, hoping this would soothe him. 

 

He was wrong. 

 

Lance almost immediately began another coughing fit, far more worse than the last one even. 

 

Shiro scooped Lance up and began to rock him, whispering comforting nothings to him. 

 

Once he stopped coughing, Shiro looked at Lance’s face with a tissue ready to wipe away his tears. 

 

He ended up wiping up tears mixed with more blood and mucus. 

 

And some of his own tears. 

 

“MY CHEST HURTS SO BAD!” Lance wailed, gripping his sweat drenched shirt with his hand before starting to cry even louder. 

 

Shiro knew he had to take Lance to the hospital. 

 

“Shh it’s okay. Breathe bud, your doing so good,” Shiro knew his words wouldn’t heal the stabbing pain in Lance’s chest, but maybe it would calm him a little. 

 

Shiro proceeded to try and calm Lance until he fell into a pain induced sleep. 

 

He carefully laid Lance back onto the couch and draped a light blanket over top of him. 

 

Shiro pulled his phone out and scrolled through his contacts until he landed upon Corans name. 

 

Coran would surely take them to the hospital right? He wasn’t busy on a Friday afternoon right? 

 

Shiro’s phone rang three times before the ginger haired British man picked up on the other line. 

 

_ “Hello number one! How can I help you on this fine day?”  _

 

Shiro inhaled sharply before he spoke. 

 

“Please don’t freak out, but I need you to pick Lance and I up and drive us to the hospital.” 

 

_ “What? Why? Is everything okay? I mean clearly not if you have to the hospital but-”  _

 

“Coran can you please just take us? Lance is really sick,” Coran must have heard the worry and desperation in Shiro’s voice because he agreed and said he’d be there in 5 minutes. 

 

Shiro hung up and walked back over to Lance again. 

 

Shiro sat next to him and rubbed his back when his face would scrounge up in pain. 

 

Shiro knew he was making the right decision by taking Lance to the hospital. It wasn’t the easy choice, but he was doing what needed to be done. 

 

About 5 minutes later Coran pulled up out front of Shiro’s house and barged into the house loudly, making Shiro jump and Lance stir and whimper. 

 

“SHH!” Shiro shushed Coran loudly, who put his hands up in a sarcastic surrender. 

 

But once he saw Lance, he knew he should have knocked. 

 

“Awe the poor lad,” Coran whispered as he sat at the chair across from Shiro, who now had Lance’s head positioned in his lap. 

 

“I’m really worried Coran,” Shiro said desperately, looking up at Coran with tearful eyes. “I don’t want him to be sick”. 

 

“It will be okay Shiro,” Coran said, though Shiro did catch the worry in his voice. “I do believe that we should get him to the hospital soon”.  

 

Shiro nodded sadly before carefully scooping up Lance and making his way towards the front door. 

(Time skip) 

 

The car ride felt like an eternity before they got to the ER parking lot. 

 

Somewhere along the way Lance woke up to the start of another painful coughing fit. 

 

Shiro sat him up and rubbed his back, being sure to rock him slightly in his lap. He whispered sweet reassuring words and kissed the top of his head. 

 

But the end was the most painful to watch. 

 

For Shiro watching his child cough up bloody mucus while his nose is bleeding and his head is throbbing and his tears won’t stop, was painful to watch. 

 

Shiro didn’t miss the sad look of the orange haired man when he look back at them. 

 

As soon as they arrived at the parking lot, Shiro pulled Lance into his arms and exited the car with the burning boy in his arms. 

 

Coran ran ahead to check them into the system, but leaving Lance like that, even with Shiro… 

 

Coran cared deeply for Lance and would stay by his side through anything until the end of the world. 

 

But, Coran knew this time he had to do something. Even if it meant leaving him to bring him more care. 

  
  


“Shiro, I’m gonna... gonna pass out,” Lance whispered, feeling himself losing the battle to his sickness already. 

 

Shiro glanced down at Lance, pale and shaking. 

 

“Hang in there bud, it’s gonna be alright”.

 

And like that, Lance’s vision filled with darkness. 

 

_ “It’s gonna be alright” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. School, Homework, Family shit...
> 
> Ya know the whole shabang. 
> 
> I'll be more active soon. 
> 
> Love yall thanks for being patient


	4. News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is good news anymore? Does it even exist?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have fun. Don't cry. MCR isn't dead.
> 
> Peace.

It all happened so quickly.

One minute, Lance was awake and the next he was being pulled into a room with big machines and getting hooked up to IVs.

Good thing he was unconscious for most of it.

Shiro sat beside Lance the whole time, only showing a face of worry and sadness when the nurses hooked him up to different machines.

Coran stood behind Shiro, with a comforting hand on his shoulder and a strong face, though Coran felt just as much worry as Shiro did.

“He will be alright,” Coran kept saying, knowing that it will bring comfort to both him and Shiro.

About fifteen minutes went by when Lance finally began to stir.

His eyes peeled open, adjusting to the brightness of the room. He first noticed his hand had been taken in someone else's. Then they slowly were brought up to meet Shiro’s worried filled eyes.

Shiro had been holding Lance’s hand since the moment he was set down on the hospital bed.

He couldn’t let go even if he tried.

“Hey buddy,” Shiro said, using his free hand to brush back Lance’s hair that was stuck to his sweaty, fever-flushed forehead. Lance relaxed into the feeling of Shiro’s cool hand and closed his eyes a little.

“Wha goin on?” Lance slurred out, squinting at Shiro like he was trying to see through a misty battlefield.

“You're at the hospital bud. But the doctors are gonna make you feel better,” Shiro whispered to Lance in his ‘lost puppy’ voice.

This didn’t send Lance into a complete panic mode, but he did let a few tears slide down his face out of exhaustion, pain and probably annoyance.

Lance would probably much rather be at home on a Friday night playing Trucks VS Bigfoot with Keith then here, sick at the hospital.

Shiro brushed his tears away gently with his thumb.

Lance tried to take a deep breath and only was sent into a traumatic coughing fit.

Shiro could only rub his back and whisper comforting words to him while he was coughing out his lungs.

At the end of his coughing fit, Lance, who had previously been laying down on his back, was now sitting up with Shiro’s help.

“Shiro, I don’t feel good!” Lance wailed as Shiro was scrambling to get a tissue and trying to find a way to calm Lance down.

“I know bud, I know. You’ll feel better soon, I’m sure of it,” But he wasn’t. At this rate, Lance might not get better for a while.

But, Shiro pushed those thoughts aside and proceeded to wipe the snot and tears from the crying child.

Coran could only watch the situation in despair, not sure on what to do.

So he tried to make himself as useful as possible.

He got a plastic water bottle from the nurses' station and filled it up at the water fountain in the lobby.

Then he went to the gift shop to check if they had anything to relieve stress and headaches. They said that what they have for that could only be prescribed by the doctors, so Coran just bought a soft, fluffy, ice pack with a blue lion binky attached to it.

Soon after that he got Shiro a cup of tea from the Cafe and made his way back to Lance’s room.

As he opened the door he could hear small whimpers and sniffles from Lance, who was cradled up against Shiro’s chest. He was panting and clearly in pain. No one thought to give the kid some painkillers or something!

Shiro wore a saddened expression, even worse than the last one.

Coran approached them cuationsouly. He didn’t want to disturb Lance anymore if that was even possible.

He took a seat on the other side of the bed, just to give them some space to calm down some more.

Shiro looked up at Coran and gave a sad forced smile.

“Hey, Lance bud? I think Coran brought you something,” Shiro said in an asperated whisper. One that he was hoping to sound more full of hope, but instead came out sadder and more melancholy.

Lance nodded weakly and tried to sit up.

He failed.

He slumped back into Shiro’s chest, only to let out a strangled cry when his head just barely bumped Shiro’s muscular chest.

Shiro shushed him and carded his fingers through Lance’s hair.

Shiro helped him get settled back down into his bed before Coran gave him his gifts.

Coran set the water aside, seeing as Lance calmed down trimenticly since his fit.

He lifted the ice pack, which was soft on the outside and still comfortably cool, out of the gift bag and placed it lightly on Lance’s hellish forehead.

Lance visibly relaxed and closed his eyes at the sudden wave of coolness that had just washed over him.

Though the ice pack helped, Lance wanted to hold Shiro’s hand. He was scared and sick and tired and wanted to go home.

He would trade anything to go home.

Except for Keith. He loved Keith.

Lance reached out for Shiro’s hand and grasped it weakly.

Shiro squeezes his hand back, making sure he knew he was still there.

“Takashi Shirogane?” Shiro spun around in his chair to see a nurse with a purple clipboard standing in the doorway. She wore a faithful smile and had pearly white teeth, her brunette hair cut short and wavy.

“Yes, that’s me,” Shiro spoke solemnly as his gaze went back to the wheezing child in the hospital bed, which was far too big for any six-year-old child.

The nurse took a few more strides over to where Shiro was sitting and stuck her hand out to shake Shiro’s before introducing herself.

“Hi, I’m Shay and I’ll be Lance’s ultrasound technician today,” She was bright and bubbly, but not in a crazy way. She was the kind to make Shiro feel a bit more hopeful about the current situation.

“Can I ask you some questions concerning the symptoms that have occurred over the past 24 hours?”

“Y-yes,” Shiro stuttered remembering the events of yesterday evening. He shuddered at the thought, but he had to recite what had happened.

“He came down with a fever of 103 and was coughing a lot more aggressively as the day progressed,” Shiro paused to collect himself a bit again before speaking.

“As the day went on he started to say that his chest was really hurting him and he started to cough up blood and getting bloody noses and-” Shiro didn’t even notice how worked up he was getting.

Unshed tears gathered in his eyes as he looked away from the nurse and stared at the tiled floor, trying his best not to cry.

Shay placed a comforting hand on Shiro’s knee causing him to look up at her. He no longer saw a happy, cheery nurse but instead saw a concerted and strong face of a warrior.

“Take your time. I’m gonna have a look at Lance if you would allow me to do so,” She said offering a small, reassuring smile.

She stood up and strolled over to Lance, whose eyes were sewn shut in pain and was clutching the lion binky in his hands.

“Hey Lance, I’m Shay. I’m gonna take care of you today okay?” Lance looked up, opening his eyes just a tad. Tears were gathered in his eyes and his wheezing was progressively getting worse.

“I wanna go home,” Lance whimpered out, tears now cascading down his bright red cheeks.

“I know hun. I know, but as soon as we can get you feeling better you can go home,” She said softly, brushing away Lance’s tears.

Lance held the lion binky to cover up his mouth and clutched it to his chest.

He kept Shiro’s hand in his own and never let go of it. Even when Shay took him to his ultrasound testing.

“Alright, Lance! Have you had an ultrasound before?” Shay said in a happy tone, though she knew this could be serious.

Judging by the symptoms he could have a respiratory infection. Or possibly worse.

But, she pushed those thoughts aside and put on a brave face. For both Lance and Shiro.

Lance nodded his head solemnly, as he had just watched his puppy get hit by a car. His eyes were coated in tears but focused on Shiro’s hand.

Shiro had tears in the corners of his eyes, almost looking as broken as Lance did when he first came into the hospital.

“Let’s get started bud. I’ll be really fast,” Shay reassured him as she unbuttoned the front of his hospital gown.

Lance watched her as she did this, but in a calmer manner.

Shay took out a bottle of clear gel and placed some on the transducer probe. She then started to run the probe over Lance’s chest and rib cage area.

Before long, she was done and had sent the test to the lab to be analyzed for further examination.

Lance was wheeled back to his room where Coran had been left to sit silence (TOP reference to anyone who cares).

Lance had almost fallen asleep when Shay had walked into the room with her head down.

Shiro was confused at first. What could have brought her mood down so quickly?

But when she looked up, his heart skipped a beat.

Her eyes were blotchy and red. She was stressed and more solemn. Her purple clipboard was gone and instead, she was holding a professional white one.

“Shay?” Shiro asked fearfully. Did he want to know?

Would everything really be okay in the end?

“I’m sorry, Takashi,” Shay paused to cover her mouth with her hand and allowed a few tears to escape her hazel eyes.   
Her next words sliced through Shiro’s heart like a knife.

“Lance has a lung tumor”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo......
> 
> Sorry, I took forever to write. Schooooool, Spoooorts, Stuuuffff
> 
> Yeah, the next part will be coming soon! But I'll take requests until then!

**Author's Note:**

> Did ya cry? 
> 
> (I didn't cry because i'm a repressed emo freak with too many emotional walls built up) 
> 
> Stay tuned for the next chapter!


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